The Delhi government has made a significant decision in the field of electricity supply. On Tuesday, Minister Rekha Gupta announced that the Cabinet approved substantial changes to the Delhi Solar Energy Policy 2023. The government's main goal is to ensure affordable electricity for residents while simultaneously stimulating the development of solar energy.
A new Delhi solar energy scheme has been launched. Under this program, the government will fully cover the costs of rooftop solar systems up to 3 kilowatts for homes consuming up to 400 units of electricity. Such consumers will not have to pay any initial fees.
The government aims to connect over two hundred thousand households to the solar program by March 2027 and achieve a total solar capacity of 500 megawatts in Delhi. Minister Rekha Gupta emphasized that this decision was made with the aim of transforming Delhi into a 'Green Delhi.'
Gupta noted that although the national program 'Solar Home – Free Electricity' is successfully operating across the country, its implementation pace in Delhi has been insufficient. Therefore, the government has made adjustments to the program, taking existing difficulties into account. The government's goal is now to install free solar panels on the roofs of one and a half million homes by March 2027.
Furthermore, the minister stated that the existing electricity subsidy will be maintained. The Delhi government has also reduced the timeline for grid metering procedures for residential rooftop solar systems, decreasing them from 75 days to 25 days. Excess energy generated by solar panels in a home will be fed into the power grid, for which consumers will receive compensation. To implement this scheme, the government plans to use the bidding procedure through IPGCL.
Minister Rekha Gupta clarified that the government's task is to turn homes into producers, not just consumers. She stressed that the goal is not to reduce electricity consumption or provide subsidies, but to create homes capable of generating their own energy. Gupta stated: 'Our goal in Delhi is to create homes that can truly produce electricity, rather than just providing a subsidy of 200 units or lowering bills.'
Rekha Gupta also reported that there are currently 10,073 solar installations in Delhi, most of which are located on government buildings. She added that the government is working on finding alternative solutions for homes that lack sufficient roof space.
Energy Minister Ashish Sood announced on Tuesday that the Cabinet approved amendments to the Delhi Solar Energy Policy 2023. He noted that this step is aimed at providing consumers with electricity at lower tariffs and accelerating the transition to clean energy.
